'A big help': Relief anticipated with rainfall to break dry spell in southeastern Alberta
Parts of southern Alberta are expecting significant rainfall over the next few days, which is welcome news for farmers.
"It's going to be real helpful to all the farmers in southern Alberta," said Magrath farmer Gary Stanford.
"It will really help the dryland farmers and the cow pastures but also, it's going to be a big help for irrigation farmers."
Widespread rainfall totalling 50 to 70 millimetres is expected throughout southeastern Alberta.
Stanford serves as a delegate on the Alberta Grains Commission and farms wheat, barley, canola and alfalfa.
He's farmed for more than 40 years and says the past few have been some of his driest.
"There was no rain in April and the beginning of May. Through the summer, it was hot and dry," Stanford said.
Environment and Climate Change Canada has issued rainfall warnings for southeastern Alberta.
The agency says the bulk of the rain is expected on Monday night and on Tuesday and that rainfall totals will be variable.
"It will be significant -- probably some of the greatest rain we've seen in years across the region, as far as general coverage," said Drew Lerner, World Weather senior agriculture meteorologist.
According to Lerner, southern Alberta is entering its seventh year of below-normal precipitation, which has wiped out subsoil moisture.
For the area, this expected rainfall event is very important in providing subsoil moisture back into the area, helping plants grow.
"This won't break the drought. This will continue to ease the drought, and it's a huge benefit. We will definitely see some relief," Lerner said.
Lerner says this initial precipitation event provides enough time for follow-up rain to prevent the impact of dryness the area has experienced over the past few years.
"I do have a lot of good hope that we're going to see a fairly decent production year, even though the official drought will not necessarily be completely eliminated in this growing season," he said.
Tricia Stadnyk, a professor and Canada research chair in hydrologic modelling with the University of Calgary's Schulich School of Engineering, calls the rain "good news" but not nearly enough to pull the area out of drought conditions.
"It will certainly help, in terms of the immediate soil moisture values," Stadnyk said.
"Right now, it's been such a deficiency in water storage that our groundwater levels, our lake levels and our river levels have decreased."
According to Stadnyk, much of the southeastern part of the province has been under drought conditions for the past three years.
She points to a lack of snowpack.
"We're actually at the point where we've depleted the natural storage in the environment," she said.
"So it will really take a much longer sustained period of wet conditions to pull us out of drought."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Severe thunderstorms, 15 cm of snow: Canadian weather forecast highlights
Well into spring, some parts of Canada could experience a wintry comeback, while other areas are bracing for severe thunderstorms, according to local forecasts.
Pope apologizes after using 'homophobic terms'
Pope Francis apologized Tuesday after he was quoted using a vulgar term about gay men to reaffirm the Catholic Church's ban on gay priests.
At least 60 reports of Lyme disease so far as Ontario enters tick season
Peak tick season is only just beginning but reports of bites – and tick-borne illnesses – are already higher than normal in Ontario.
Spy watchdog's foreign interference review finds 'unacceptable gaps' in accountability
The Canadian Security Intelligence Service and Public Safety Canada lacked a system for tracking who received and read specific intelligence on foreign interference, creating 'unacceptable gaps in accountability,' the national spy watchdog has found.
Tornado touches down west of the Island of Montreal
Emergency services in the town of Rigaud, Que. are investigating after a tornado touched down shortly after 5:30 p.m.
Man convicted in attack on Pelosi's husband back in court after judge's error
A man who assaulted U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's husband in 2022 will have another day in court on Tuesday after the federal judge overseeing the case failed to allow him to speak during his sentencing hearing earlier this month.
Teen was doing homework at family's Mississauga, Ont. restaurant when gunman opened fire: testimony
The 13-year-old sister of a young man killed in the attack on her family’s Mississauga restaurant in 2021 took the stand in a Brampton courthouse on Monday to describe the terrifying moments of coming under fire.
WATCH Airline pilot treated to stunning northern lights show during U.S.-Portugal flight
An airline pilot got quite a show on May 11 while flying from San Francisco to Lisbon when a solar storm caused stunning auroras.
Richard Dreyfuss' comments about women, LGBTQ2S+ people and diversity lead venue to apologize
The actor Richard Dreyfuss showed up in a dress at a 'Jaws'-themed event in Massachusetts, where the blockbuster 1975 movie he starred in was shot, and then proceeded to make demeaning remarks about women, LGBTQ2S+ people and diversity.